Death Will Take Thee
by Quiet Harmony-chan
Summary: Alice is getting married to Blood. This has caused Peter to try one final time to gain Alice's affection and he has brought a foreigner to do just that. Candice doesn't like the idea of breaking up the lovers and begins to make her own life and finding a lover in the process. NightmarexOC
1. Candice

**...**

**Third Person POV**

**...**

Sunlight fell down on the old fashioned southern porch, its perfect aim was periodically interrupted by two pairs of bare feet swinging on a creaky, wooden porch swing. It's creaking was accompanied by off-key humming from an older looking woman with greying blonde hair and half closed blue eyes.

"Mom you're butchering that song!"

The older woman stopped the swing, with one foot and twisted herself around to stare at a languidly slouching nineteen year old girl. "Now don'tchya even dare accuse me of such a crime! I've sung Maddona since before you were born, Candice."

Candice rolled her brown eyes and put a cigarette in her mouth, not wanting to argue with her mother. Just as she flicked her lighter sending up a plume of orange fire, a blast of fresh air whipped through the small yard rustling the trees, honeysuckle vines, and taking out her fire.

"Damn," She flicked the small bauble again. "that always happens to me."

"You shouldn't be smokin' anyway." Her mother said as she took out a small tin. "Chewing tobacco is healthier."

"Mom, you still get mouth cancer."

A smile twisted onto her mouth when her mother waved her arm. Casting the output and smoke off the porch to meander with the candy smell that wafted from the honey suckle that took over their delapatated shed that housed the old Christmas ornaments.

Candice had been born in this house that her mother had grown up in, and eventually inherited when her Grandparents died in a car crash twelve years ago. She could still see where her father measured her against the old apple tree that only gave wormy fruit, and the rope swing he had made for her sixth birthday.

No, this place wasn't amazing. The house's roof had managed to make a leak in every room, and a new coat of brown paint could be slapped on the kitchen, but this was the place that no one would judge her for having six tattoos and only dream in life was getting married and becoming a mother. Heck even her 'old fashioned' ideas weren't minded on this little plot of land most people would find ugly.

Candice brought her feet off the porch, peeling more of the dark green paint. "You think I'll do good in college?"

Her mother glanced up from her romance novel. "Baby, you're going so you can do good for yourself, it may not be your dream, but it'll get you on the right track."

A dark red flushed over her high cheek bones, making her mother squeal in delight and pat the dark, curly hair forced into a low ponytail. "I haven't seen you look that cute in years, I'ma get the camera."

Candice watched her mother slide off the swing and go back into the house, bringing out the spicy , wholesome smell of jambalaya as she did.

When her mother slammed the screen door shut and her loud footsteps dissapeard, Candice laid her face against her knobby knees and closed her eyes. It was warm and the day had been all together lazy, in fact she hadn't gotten up until noon. So now was a perfect time to relax before her mother decided to become an excitable three-year old.

**...**

**Candice's POV**

**...**

_Did you know every game has its rules?_

"I guess..." Games? I remember the ones my Mom would invent on the fly...

_Rules that are meant to be broken._

"Drugs, sex, and rock-n-roll?"

_There are rules for those who don't play as well, I look forward for your participation, you can't refuse._

**BAM!**

My eyes snap open and I immediately sit up, ignoring the painful pops as I do so. Looking around my dried up yard I don't see anything out of the ordinary. I look over to my left at the rusty screen door shaking my head. I hated that thing with a passion, when I was a child I swore it was a monster trying to eat me.

"Candice go check to see if that damn cat pushed over my pots, please!"

I carefully bend my legs out of the awkward position they were in, and heave myself out of the swing, dusting paint chips off my cargo shorts. ""Kay!"

I don't bother slipping on the black flip-flops that were under the swing and stride off the porch barefoot, cursing under my breath as the hot sand, grass, and gravel burns my callused feet.

Behind the old shed was a plastic shelf that housed my mother's vegetable plants. Viney tomatoes, limp squash, and a few strawberry bushes had made its way onto the shelf, all never making it to harvest time thanks to the neighbor's cat. It was a big one with ugly green eyes and pretty black fur. Mom said it was bad luck and was going to kill it with the shot-gun one of these days.

All twenty tera-cotta pots sat up straight though. I mindlessly pick a large yellow tomatoes and bite into it, savouring the tangy taste of the fruit. This wasn't my favorite food, that was reserved to peanuts and peanut products, but this was one of the few veggies I willingly ate.

I wipe away the juice dribbling down my chin and throw the viny bit into the neighbor's yard, just to hear a high-pitched sound between a grunt and a squeal. I lean over and grasp the chain link fence, my mother insisted on setting this up so close to the neighbor's yard just to get them off her back about the shed, and look around.

This yard wasn't too different from ours, the yard looked half dead, there were a few trees growing up, and it had a swing on the porch. In the yard however was a sleeping mutt chained to the porch, and a white rabbit wearing clothes.

I stare at the poor rabbit. "They would dress their pets up, rich-wanna-be's."

I carefully climb over the fence and pick the bunny up, petting its soft fur. It was much smoother than it should have been for a Florida White, but too big for an Angora. I put my face into it's fur smelling a musky scent wafting around with tea...

"You're one strange bunny." I hoist it into my purple T-shirt, keeping one hand on it as I climb the fence. Yes this is technically stealing, but I probably just saved it from dying...Of embarrassment, speaking of which. I had looked down at the rabbit to make sure it didn't die during our crossing just to find pink staining it's cheeks.

"I'm not that chesty bunny," I say petting its ears. "I'm barely making a double B."

That must have been the last straw, it scratches and kicks in my shirt, making tiny holes that I'd never bother to sew. Grasping it by the loose skin of it's back I haul it out of my shirt and place it on the ground.

The next thing I know I'm no longer looking at a rabbit, but a grown man. He was handsome, easy on the face, heavy on the red eyes though the glasses helped, but he also had rabbit ears perched on his head.

"AAHHHH-" A gloved hand clamps over my mouth and I'm being dragged away.

I fling my arm around trying to hit him, but he seems undaunted. I look around again, this time my vision becoming somewhat hazy. Another hand slaps over my eyes, pain shooting through my skull.

"We can't have that, please bear with me my dear, everything will soon become clear."

Suddenly the feeling of us moving stopped, and the burning of the ground disappeared. A low whistling could be heard from every direction, and cool wind licked at my legs and arms making my heart rate rise.

We were falling.

**...**

**A/N: If someone where to ask if I was sane I'd tell ya NO! If I was I wouldn't be writing another fic that actually had a plot! -head meets desk- **

**On another point I did this because I've seen a lot of people ask for a NightmarexOC story. Also I've always wondered, what happens to the spirits of the clocks after the clock has been utterly destroyed. **

**I didn't want to this because **

**1. Have you SEEN how many stories I have to update for this fandom?!**

**2. My fav character IS Nightmare, so I was kinda worried about making a self insert.**

**3. I've never actually written a pairing story...**

**But I did it anyway because I love you guys. From my readers and reviewers to other writers, this is just a gift to give back to the community.**

**So enough of my rant, if you guys want more I'll write more...**

**P.s. I'm listening to Phantom of the Opera song and I'm laughing now...**


	2. Where You Are

**A/N: Fun Fact: In the Alice series by Lewis Carol he stated that there was a difference between the Red Queen and the Queen of Hearts. **

**Yup random facts like this will be posted every chapter because I have no life.**

**Sleeping Moon: Thanks a bunch for reading this! Candice's mother is vital to who Candice is as a person. Not only does she love her mother very much, but she has an unhealthy attachment to her. It will be explained further as the story progresses. **

**Now onto the chapter!**

**...**

**Candice's POV**

**...**

My captor and I had fallen for all of three minutes before the wonderful feeling of warm stone touched my feet. As soon as there was contact, the hands keeping me locked up moved away and I was assaulted by late evening sun.

I blinked wearily, trying to get a hold of my bearings. "I hate you."

"But my dear I only brought you here to help me," I shuddered as a hand touched my face forcing me to look at the man. "you'll be able to get back home when you're through."

"I'm leaving now," I tap his chest. "so take me back!"

The man's eyes widened and he took a humbling step away, his ears drooping down. "But you have to help or Alice will marry that bastard."

Oh good god almighty. I look up at the sky expecting for whatever hole I'd been dragged down to still be there. Instead a sky made of perfume colored marshmallows spanned above me. "How in the hell did we survive falling, Playboy?"

"Playboy? My name is Peter White, and as much as I would like to answer your questions..."

I look back over to him spying one of his gloved hands slipping into his coat pocket. I looked around frantically for a way to escape, but quickly found out that we were on a patio over ten stories into the air. The ground was eclipsed by a lovely forest that had plenty of pine, oak, and stunted apple trees.

I shrieked when the guy's hand was once again on my body, this time my shoulder. I thrust a hand into my pocket and allowed him to turn me around. A clear vial filled with a blue liquid was in his hand. He took the clover shaped stopper off with his teeth, the light chink as it hit the ground sounded like an ominous omen.

I gripped the smooth handle of my pocket knife as Peter tilted his head back, drinking the whole liquid in two gulps. I leaned back as he leaned forward, making him chuckle. I gasped as he gripped the back of my head and smacked his lips to mine.

I wasn't going to say that it was the worse kiss on the planet, quite the contrary, but my heart still rose in fear and my body was still frozen. It didn't help when a sour liquid flooded my mouth. It wasn't the lemony kind of sour, more of that rotten milk kind that made me gag.

He soon pulled away with a light pop, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Hm, that was amazing~ even if you weren't Alice!"

Amazing?!

He thought that was amazing?

I curled my fist up. "You thought that was nice, drugging me?"

I brought my leg up sinking it into his stomach, relishing his yelp of pain. As soon as his back hit the stone I brought my foot down on his balls, rubbing my heel in nice and good. "Take that you fucking bastard."

I then run to the side of the tower and look down the side of the building. The many ridges and arches that the windows were sunken into created a ladder down to the stable ground. A precarious ladder, but a ladder none the less.

I slowly push myself down, gripping the warm stone with my hands. The descent was slippery, it didn't help that I had open cuts on my hands and a new tattoo on my left arm, but I somewhat managed.

**...**

**Third Person POV**

**...**

Gray could only stare as the girl's bare feet hit the ground. Blood ran down her leg from where she scrapped them against the stone, and he could hear her heavy breathing from his place behind a tree. He had witnessed the episode with her and Peter touching down onto Clover Tower, but he hadn't expected a foreigner to scale down the tower...Not willingly anyway.

The girl had bent down now and was inspecting the wounds. The cogs in Gray's mind were now turning at an alarming rate.

Foreigner=Fragile

"Miss!"

The girl jerked up, her small black colored eyes taking in the area, passing over him twice before actually seeing him. She took a hesitant step back, her eyes narrowing as Gray walked out of the wood, a bag of coffee under one arm.

As he got closer to her, he noticed that those black eyes were actually cinnamon brown, and that her light brown hair that brushed her neck had some curls towards the ends. He couldn't call her cute, especially with the celtic cross tattoo on her left calf, but she couldn't be described as sexy either.

Excitable different was probably the right word.

"What do you want?"

Gray gestured toward the tower. "I saw you climb down, that's quite a feat for a foreigner."

"Yeah, well I wouldn't have had to if Playboy didn't kidnap me!" She snapped.

"Candice!"

The two looked up to the top of the tower, leaning over the edge was a very much alive Peter White.

"I'll pay you if you hide me."

**...**

**Candice's POV**

**...**

I shifted uncomfortably in my saviour's arms. "You know, I would've walked..."

"You're bleeding from your legs and arms."

I shuddered as his voice makes his chest vibrate. "O-Okay."

We ascend a flight of twisting stone stairs before coming to a wooden door. My saviour kicked it with his foot and waited."I'm coming, I'm coming!"

The door opened by a flustered young man who was much too pale. Silvery hair was cut close to his face and he had an eye patch over one of his eyes. He pointed to something behind him. "I've gotten two-time changes worth of work done."

"I asked for five Lord Nightmare."

"You would dare ask a sickly person of so much work!"

We entered into a spacious room. It had a walnut desk in one part with a high back chair behind it and paperwork scattered around it. My savior sat me down in a comfortable chair on the opposite side of the desk and lifted my left leg. A gash was just over my tattoo, the blood was still oozing a bright red, but it had stopped hurting.

"Lord Nightmare please sit with her while I get the medical kit." I watch my savior leave the room before ripping a bit of my shirt and wrapping my wound.

It wasn't too bad, the blood wasn't black and didn't need a whole damn medical kit. What was this a world of extremes? One person extremely creepy and the other being overly protective with scrapes? I sneak a look to this Nightmare person, he was folding one of the papers into a paper statue. I wonder what he was extreme with?

"Doctors."

"Excuse me?"

He looked up from his paper-folding. "You asked what I was extreme about."

No I didn't that was my...

"You're a witch!"

"No an incubus."

"How is that any better you rapist!"

I glared at the apparent incubus as he began to laugh. It was one of those deep ones that mocked the person that it was directed towards. "Candice, do you have any idea where you are?"

"No, but you're going to tell me aren't you."

"I guess I'm not the only one who can read minds." He gestured to the window. "Everything you see outside is part of Clover Country, that is where the White Rabbit has taken you to Candice, a place where you can be happy."

Happy? I would have been perfectly fine staying at home! I would have been perfectly happy with going inside after a smoke and getting ready for dinner with the Preacher's family. I would have been happy staring at the preacher's son from across the table knowing that I couldn't date him because I had been born out-of-wedlock. I would have been happy going all the way to South Carolina for school instead of staying in Georgia!

Rage heated up in my belly. "If you think dislocating me was a good idea-"

I stopped when he leaned forward placing a cold hand on my cheek. "Don't worry now Candice, this is all for your own good."

My vision began to spin and my body became weighted as my eyes slid shut.

**...**

**Third Person POV**

**...**

Nightmare caught Candice's body before it fell onto his desk. He gently leaned her back into her chair, staring at her smooth face. Another foreigner to play the game...His clock skipped a tick when the thought passed his mind again.

Once again they would be be thrust into a flurry of emotion and fighting over something that abhorred death and violence. Something that had little power compared to them, but had something all of them desired.

"It's amazing how you foreigners can sway such a group." He muttered before bending down and moving some of the dark locks from her face.

**...**

**A/N: There! So if you noticed a change in the summary and are wondering why...Well it's because I decided to separate this story into two parts, how very ambitious of me. This part will be about building up a relationship and the next about the actual plot. -head meets desk- I blame the Phantom of the Opera song for this...Well that and the chocolate I've been eating.**


	3. Clover Tower

**A/N: **

**Fun Fact: The Hatter and Hare were also in**_** Alice Through The Looking Glass **_**as the White King's messengers.**

**Hi all! So how was your Christmas/Holiday? I enjoyed mine for the first six hours, after that i became irritated. Anyway time to thank my lovely reviewers.**

**Sleeping Moon: You my dear have a very thorough writing style then. The interaction between Nightmare and Candice is heavily looked over before I publish a chapter. I want their love to be realistic with ups, downs, and personality.**

**Candice's POV**

**...**

I squeeze my already shut eyes a little harder, trying to keep out the barrage of sunlight that tried to awaken me. This only led to my body becoming very aware of the springs trying to dig into my back and the thick, scratchy blankets that chaffed at my exposed skin.

I open my eyes, giving up on sleep, and find myself in a simple room made entirely of white/gray stone with exposed, cherry wood beams. It was elegant and stylish, but pointed to whoever owned the place didn't mind spending money, at least on their building.

I kick off the blankets and shimmy off the bed, my back popping as I did so. I raise my arms and try to get the rest of he kinks out of my back still curious about where I was. The last thing I remember was someone touching me.

Pushing the thought to the side I go over to the small port window of the western wall and observe the beautiful landscape of trees. The sight was somewhat familiar, but it was missing something. I pull a hand through my hair as if pulling a memory, but when nothing came with it I gave up and head over to the door.

Upon opening it I find a cool, dimly lit hall way that had doors running along all sides. The walls inside didn't have any decorations aside from a few simple light fixtures. The muffled sound of people talking wafted in from another room peeking my curiosity. I followed the voices over two flights of stairs and into a brightly lit hall.

This hall was decorated with fancy pictures, a side table with a porcelain vase holding a dozen long stemmed white roses. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the doors had gold plaques with name plates on them.

I waltz over to one that said Blood Dupre in scrolling letters, the voices were coming from in here, they weren't as loud as they should've been considering I heard them two flights down, that made me wonder if their voices travelled through vents or something.

"Lord Nightmare please get the paperwork done."

"No~ you said I could take a break!"

"That was only because you passed out from blood loss."

My nose wrinkles at the statement. It was said in a deadpanned way that screamed uncaring, whoever he was needed to watch a plethora of Christmas movies, good feeling movies, and Jane Austen movies.

Sharp laughter suddenly sounded from the other side of the door followed by the hair raising sound of metal scraping against stone before the door swung open revealing a familiar face of the eye patch guy.

"My name is Nightmare," He pouted. "it's a pity you foreigners never seem to remember."

"Sorry?"

"I guess it's fine, I can't expect you to remember much since you passed out on my desk."

The cogs in my head reanimate and send a picture of me on top of a tower and a guy with rabbit ears kissing me. My entire stomach goes sour and I take a wobbly step back.

"My god I thought it was a dream."

His eyebrows furrow for a moment before a smile graces his purple stained lips. "I suppose it's another thing that foreigners had in common."

Normally when people have things in common it meant that they would get along well or destiny had a plan involving the two of them. But the term foreigners being thrown around so often gave me the idea that there was plenty of people who had a passport.

"Lord Nightmare," The man was pushed out the door by a taller man with a tattoo. "you're falling behind in your work."

"I'm intruding?"

He looks over to me and my mind is battered by confusion. His eyes were yellow, not that amber brown color but straight up yellow. Was he sick? Holy mother of god he didn't have yellow fever did he?!

"Grey's eyes are naturally that color."

Grey shoved Nightmare again. "Sir please stop stalling, the new foreigner will be here when you're done."

"Woah, woah, woah," I raise a hand. "first off I have a name, Candice. Second, calling someone a foreigner is rude, like pointing out I've got a disease or somethin'."

"You're right we shouldn't be so rude to you," Nightmare turned to Grey. "in fact Grey will give you a tour of the tower as an apology."

Grey seemed torn between the order given and pushing Nightmare to do his work again, but he order soon won as he led me away leaving a cheering Nightmare behind.

**...**

You know I thought this place was really lavish before, but I didn't understand how much until the tour. Exposed wood that ranged from cherry to ebony, lovely paintings that rivaled the renaissance masters, and views that were fit for a palace.

"This place is just amazing."

"I suppose," Grey said. "but that depends what you're comparing it to."

"I guess I'm comparing it to my house and a crummy school I used to stay at."

"Hm."

I wanted to throttle him. I understand that silence is golden, something my Mom needed to learn, but I felt kinda like a burden to Grey right now. Actually I kinda am since Nightmare ordered him to lead me around the place, it's obvious he rather make his boss do paperwork.

We pass by an elaborate clover made entirely of metal and mounted onto a heavy door. My heart jumps at the lovely piece of work and I leave Grey's side just to touch it. The cool metal sends a shock through my system as I trace the tiny scroll patterns etched on it.

"That was a gift from one of the territory leaders a long time ago." Grey says.

"It's lovely, I hope to make stuff like this one day."

"You do metal work?"

I blush from the surprise in his voice. "Nhn, welding. I wanna get into something that's a bit more than putting bits of pipe together though."

"I'm sure you will."

My hand drops from the metalwork and I face Grey who's face has a dusting of pink on it. Hn, I didn't take him to be the embarrassed easily type. "Thanks."

**...**

With the tour over Grey left me in the library to wait for him and Nightmare to finish work. I obediently stayed in he room, a force of habit that I'm trying to break, and spend the time reading books. They're plenty of different kinds here, but the one that caught my attention was a murder mystery. I have always had a warped fascination with those, perhaps because strange cases always came up at school.

Speaking of school, how far did I fall down the rabbit hole? I had tried to use my cell-phone to call my mother, but I didn't get reception. Hell, even the internet had died in this place. I tap the screen again hoping for a bar, but it remained blank. I sighed and shoved the phone back into my pants. No point in using all the power, then when I do get reception I won't be able to tell my mom to call a government agency to get me out of this place.

Unless of course this was a dream. In school their was a story about a girl who fell down a rabbit hole that led into a strange world that confused her to no end. The girl had followed after a white rabbit to get their though, I had been kidnapped.

"Fetched more than kidnapped." I jerk up from my lounging position to find Nightmare leaning against a wall smoking a pipe.

"Really."

"No need to sound so upset, this was all done for your happiness. This world will always be good to you, Candice because you are the foreigner."

"World, like another planet?"

Not exactly," He took a long drag from his pipe before blowing it out in hoops. "this world is connected to your own, but cut off in many ways. When the white rabbit brought you here the main thing that cuts off our worlds was brought here, making you a person of interest."

Now that explanation didn't sound the least bit creepy. "This isn't a government conspiracy is it?"

A light chuckle passed his lips. "No. Here government and life have no meaning, just the rules and our roles."

A low moan came from the door as Grey came in a tray of food in his hands. "Dinner is ready."

"Please have mercy!"

**SPLASH!**

"Lord Nightmare you've spilt the soup!"

"Good, I just saved us from dying."

I stared at the watery looking soup as it made its way over the burgundy rug. Something bitter was wafting from it making my stomach gurgle. Maybe it was a good thing that soup had been sent to the floor, it looked more ready to become much.

"H-Hey do you guys want me to cook?"

The arguing duo stopped to stare at me, making my face go warm. My god if everyone here was overbearing in looks then I was going to die young.

"If you know how." Nightmare said.

"But she's a guest! Besides it won't take me long to make some mo-"

"This way to the kitchen Candice." Nightmare grabbed my wrist and practically dragged me out the door.

**...**

**Third Person POV**

**...**

"Here we are."

Nightmare and Grey stared at the many bowls and plates filled with food. All of them wafted off an appetizing scent that made their stomachs grumble in anticipation.

"You made all of this in an hour?" Grey asked.

"Yup, there's two stoves so it was easy to do."

Nightmare took a bite from the steaming hot cornbread. "It's good, and I can even bite into it without chipping a tooth."

"Thanks."

The trio began eating in earnest. After a few minutes though the eating slowed into casual answering. I say answering because Candice was mostly asking questions about the world she had been taken to.

"You said earlier that government and life didn't matter," she said in between a bit of green beans. "what did you mean."

"Goverment doesn't matter since the Castle, Amusment Park, and Mansion are all in a war of sorts."

"And this place isn't?"

Grey ste down his cup. "Clover Tower is strictly neutral."

Candice filed the thought away. "Then I guess it's best to stay here then..."

"No," Nightmare said. "as a foreigner it is everyone's best interest to treat you well. You're completely exempted from the war."

"Why?"

"You'll understand soon, for now just enjoy your time here."

Candice wanted to protest against, enjoying her time. She wanted to go home and enjoy that, but part of her was curious. If this world had natural yellow eyes and people who could read eyes what other things could it hold. Maybe when morning came back she would go find something interesting, perhaps visit the Amusment Park, that sounded like fun.

The thought was ripped from her mind, however, when she remembered her lack of funds. All her money was at home. Heck she didn't even have a place to in this world.

"Candice," she looked up to Nightmare. "you may stay here if you like."

"I don't wanna be rude."

"You're not being rude, you don't have any other place to go."

A valid point. "F-Fine, but I'll get a job and pay rent."

"Your rent could be cooking dinner."

"Along with that."

**...**

**A/N: There we are my Lovlies! This was a good chapter that took a lot of work to build, I wasn't exactly sure what Candice would like to do aside from becoming a mother, good at householdish things, and being a day dreamer/short fuse. Welding sorta came from my Dad being able to do it. In fact in a lot of my writing you'll notice that my characters will be able to do things with their hands. **

**Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this! Please Review and thanks for reading!**


	4. Peter White

**A/N:**

**Fun Fact: In the sixties the Cheshire cat was a synonym with drugs. Strange considering the catipillar was doing opium.**

**Ha! See I updated quick this time!**

**Sleeping Moon: I'm glad you like the idea. I know it isn't very unique, but she will be getting an actual job soon.**

**Senna Bluefire: I've never heard the Nighcore version, I'll have to check it out.**

**...**

**Third Person POV**

**...**

The next morning time change saw Candice making a simple breakfast with the last of the ingredients in the tower. Once she had cooked, and helped a maid with the dishes, she went to the library to find out what were considered "good" food in this wonderworld.

Book after book was opened and gorgeous photos brought to light that the people here had very expensive tastes. In fact she hadn't made half the stuff in the books since her parents could never afford such ingredients on a daily basis.

"Chicken with saffron sauce and asparagus?" She wrote it down in a small note book she found lying around.

She had several meals that could be made within a Wonderland week, which was apparently seven, twenty four hour periods regardless of time changes. The only problem she had with her list was money, she knew she ought to go to employer, but she had no idea how much money he had or the currency.

She slammed her book shut and put it back on a shelf before leaving the library in favor of finding Nighhtmare's office. Grey had showed it to her, but her mind had been elsewhere. She stopped before a hall that led to two different paths.

Great.

After flipping a penny in the air, fate demanded that she choose the left path. This path led to several flights of stairs and the sound of voices arguing. Coming upon a door that held the source she hesitated before knocking, if they were working they probably wouldn't appreciate her barging in.

Without warning the door swung open revealing an agitated Grey. Well maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

"Ms. Candice..."

"Um, sorry for interrupting but I wanted to ask Nightmare if he could give me some money to go grocery shopping with."

Yup that didn't sound the least bit like a spoiled brat.

"I'm afraid he's...tied up at the moment, I'll give you the funds in the mean time."

He entered back into the room, shutting the door as he did so, and returned five minutes later with a wad of blueish green bills. "This should be enough."

"I.." How did they get so much! "I guess."

She robotically took the money, fighting the temptation to throw it in the air like confetti, and went back down the hall. As she neared Clover Tower's exit it never occurred to her she may need a map, or even a finger pointed to the right direction.

**...**

**Candice's POV**

**...**

I hate nature. The scratches on my arms and legs were ridiculous as I battled with another vine that had wrapped itself around my foot. I fell forward with a grunt, the money spilling out, and my hand hitting a broken piece of glass. Good thing that wasn't my poor, exposed, foot.

I quickly gather up the money before spying something white cradled between two bills. I picked it up and found a piece of paper with a quickly scribbled note on it. "Half is for clothes?"

Slowly dawning spread on my face. Wow, that was really nice of Grey, I just hope he doesn't get in trouble. I put all the money in my pocket, holding it was becoming cumbersome, and went down a clear path. After twenty minutes the grass slowly became cobblestone before I came upon a bustling town.

People, without faces, walked about the streets eager to get the time periods worth of work over. Kids ran around in the street, and the occasional pet followed after them. It reminded me of one of those tiny European towns in books and movies.

"I guess first I should get clothes, no shoes no service."

**...**

After making poor excuses to a faceless woman who owned a small shop I decided that I was better off not wearing shoes. Apparently all the women in this world war dresses, those who didn't were mostly children. Seeing as how my body had went through a change and I now had a waist, ass, boobs, and stomach, it was impossible for me to even consider this option.

It wasn't that I didn't like dresses, but I couldn't imagine wearing them everyday. I fingered a simple lilac tunic like dress that fell to my knees, if I coupled it with along, light brown jacket and white leggings with black flats I'd be somewhat comfortable...

I took my selection off the shelf. "May I take these to go?"

"You'd need to if you don't want men asking what your rates are."

I gave the woman a dirty look before changing into my acquired clothes. Ah~ the dress and jacket were nice and loose, but comfortable. I still missed pants though, this white material did little to cover up my legs.

I paid for the clothes, only using a quarter of the money, and went on to the market place. Here a large variety of food was being sold by the local farmers. The smell of fresh veggies and spices reminded me of the farmer's market at home.

The people here though were much ruder. They would always raise their prices up, and when I would ask for a lower one they'd say that they needed to make a living. Heck, this was even happening with people who obviously needed to get the last of their stock off their hands.

"I'll give you twenty."

"Twenty dollars for a pound of pumpkin?" I nearly shriek.

"Yes, that's how it works girl."

"I'll give you ten."

"No way in hell."

_**BANG!**_

I immediately drop my bags and duck to the ground, putting my arms over my head. Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god!

"You'll give the woman what she wants." A familiar voice snapped.

"Of course, Sir!"

I shudder when a hand gently touches my head. "Are you alright, Candice?"

I peek out and see the last person on the planet I wanted to see. Yes that sounded redundant, but that's how much I didn't want to see Peter White.

**...**

"But Candice won't you here me out?"

"NO!"

I jump over a root that blocked my path to Clover Tower. This guy had been following me the whole time like an abandoned puppy. I had cursed him, pushed him, even ignored him but he still followed me. I hope this world has restraining orders.

"Candice it's an emergency though!"

"Then go to the law enforcement!"

"They don't matter."

"Your problem doesn't matter to me."

I shuffle the grocery bags in my hand and swing Clover Tower's door open. I quickly go up the stairs to the kitchen, Peter still nipping at my heels. "What if I told you I could take you back home?"

I look away from the cabinet I had begun stuffing things into. Can he really do that? I mean opening holes in the sky should be impossible, but considering where was...

"Well I-"

The kitchen door opened up and in came Grey and an exhausted Nightmare. Both of them seemed surprised, I wonder if they knew Peter...

"Unfourtenetly." Nightmare said. "But why are you here?"

Peter pushed up his glasses. "I'm here to see the new foreigner. I didn't bring her here for the same reasons you did."

"You already know what you're doing is against the rules." Grey pointed out as he took out a cigarette.

"Now, now, it wouldn't be against the rules, everyone falls for the foreigner."

Everyone falls for the foreigner? My brain worked on over drive for all of three seconds before the puzzle came together. "So everyone here has a foreigner fetish?"

The three men turned to me as if just realizing I hadn't removed myself. Well good, they shouldn't forget 'bout me in matters that concern me.

**...**

**A/N: Just some kinda peaceful filler setting up for the chaos in Candice understanding Wonderland's motives. **


	5. Embarrassment and Understanding

**A/N: Sup my Lovelies! I'm happy to jump back to this story, it's getting rather uppity from this point on.**

**Sleeping Moon: Heh, I came up with that one at the last minute.**

**...**

**Third Person POV**

**...**

The minute the words left Candice's mouth Nightmare was leaning over the sink coughing up blood. The other two men seemed surprised at her words, but quickly re-collected themselves to answer her honest, if not strangely put, question.

"W-well," Gray said with a cough. "it's not exactly like that."

Candice raised an eyebrow. "Really cuz I can't think of anything else, but it's fine, I get off at certain stuff to, no point in judging."

Peter sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This explanation should be simpler."

"Ms. Candice what's in your chest?"

"A heart."

Gray nodded. "Yes, but in this world we don't have those here we have allow us to 'feel' just as you do, but when we die return to our clock form."

"Eh?!"

"Its true." Nightmare wiped the blood off his mouth. "It's what I meant when I said life doesn't matter, when we die we'll just be replaced."

The confusion melted into slight understanding. "Because I have a heart I'm a rarity, something precious and irreplaceable..."

"Correct."

"Well this place knows how to make a gal feel special!"

Relief escaped Nightmare's lips. Alice hadn't been happy about it, and examining Candice's thoughts she was slightly pleased and embarrassed.

"Now that that's over with..." Peter yanked Candice by the waist making her blush a dark red and begin wriggling. "You must go with me to break up Blood and Alice~"

**...**

**Candice's POV**

**...**

"E-Excuse me?"

"I brought you here to stop Blood and Alice's wedding."

I snatch myself out of Peter's he think I was a cheap whore or something? I was not going to break up a couple, especially one that was getting married.

"Peter leave my tower."

"Nightmare I-"

His eye narrowed and his voice lowered. "I will not ask you again."

Grey pulled out a knife and brought it up to Peter's neck. "Lord Nightmare asked you to leave."

"Not unless Candice tells me to."

My face darkens in color as they all look at me. I probably should tell Peter to screw off, he has no good motive to being here and Nightmare had asked him to leave.

"Leave Peter."

"Bu-" He shut his mouth as the knife pressed deeper into his neck drawing blood. "Fine, but I'll see you soon Candice~"

"Don't count on it."

**...**

For the last three time changes I'd been doing nothing more than cooking and learning about my new home via reading. I had taken to avoiding my employers, and I think they knew that. They treated my well, but when I learned that they could fall in love with me. I shuddered and sunk deeper into my chair. I don't think I could take such a thing honestly, having so many people loving me.

Slowly my eyes became heavy and sleep took over my mind. Then I wasn't so sleepy anymore because I was so freaking aware of my surroundings. I open my eyes and hold my hand to my mouth to suppress a scream. I was in a scribble scrabble world of childish color instead of the lazy library. Was this just a normal occurence in this wonder world?

"Yes, you're now in my realm."

I look up to see Nightmare in a completely different outfit floating above my head and smoking a pipe. "Eh, that's interesting."

"You're uncomfortable."

I crossed my arms. "Don't read my mind."

"I didn't," He gestured to her face. "you're face is red."

The coloring in my cheeks grew deeper as I looked away. He shouldn't look at my face so closely it's embarrassing. I gasped as a hand touched my back and I was looking eye to eye with the incubus.

"You don't like the game, do you?"

"You can read my thoughts. You tell me."

Nightmare moved away. "You don't, you want to go home more than anything. Just like Alice..."

The words were said with resentment and anger and some of my fears were lifted. He still had feelings for the other girl.

**...**

**Nightmare's POV**

**...**

I stared down at the paperwork that Grey had put on my desk three hours ago. My mind hadn't been on it, but the foreigner that was sleeping in my library. I had heard her thoughts and they made my blood boil.I didn't care for Alice anymore, she had went traipsing after the Hatter, but Candice had piqued my intrest. She didn't mind hiding me from Grey and could cook, two things that Alice couldn't do.

Of course I wasn't the only one who had interest in Candice. I had caught onto a few of Grey's unguarded thoughts and they had admired Candice's new outfit calling her 'cute' in them. The colors were too pale on her in my opinion, but the style itself gave off the false image of her being cute and submissive.

At any rate her feelings of Wonderland weren't going to turn around by her being cooped up in the tower, I was going to have to let her explore it and see the other role holders. At least I didn't have Blood to worry about, when he was pursuing Alice he used every trick in the book.

Looked like I was going to have to pick up said book.

**...**

**A/N: Ha. So Nightmare's interest in Candice even it was simply over her having a heart. Also it looks like Nightmare is gonna have some fun trying to seduce Candice which may or may work out depending on how much blood he chucks. According to the wikia he's the most innocent in all the characters when it comes to seduction. Ha talk about irony, he's an incubus for god's sake! Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter even if it was a bit short.**


End file.
